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ARP, Texas – The assistant principal of Arp Elementary School was arrested Tuesday morning after police said she gave false information to investigators. According to the Arp Police Department and our news partner KETK, Karla Florence was taken into custody for failure to report and false report to a peace officer. Police said she failed to provide “accurate and truthful information to investigators” and did not fulfill her legal duty under Texas law to report knowledge of a felony while serving as an educator. Blake Florence, was also arrested and charged with sexual assault of a child and tampering with physical evidence. Both were booked into the Smith County Jail.

Arp ISD’s Official Statement

Update: The Wood County Sheriff’s Office said Meinert was found safely and is with his family.

MINEOLA– The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has issued a Silver Alert for a missing man with a cognitive impairment, last seen in Mineola on Monday night, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

DPS says that 72-year-old Lawrence Meinert was last seen around 11 p.m. on the 280 Block of CR 2798 wearing a gray striped shirt, gray shorts and brown flip flops. He is described as being five feet, eleven inches tall, and weighing 150 pounds with white hair and hazel eyes.

His vehicle is a gray 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with the Texas license plate number HKX4749.

If anyone sees Meinert or his truck, they are encouraged to contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 903-763-2201 or their local law enforcement agency.

PALESTINE – A Palestine man was arrested on Aug. 18 after police discovered drugs and more than 40 guns in his vehicle and home. According to our news partner KETK, officers with the Palestine Police Department attempted to stop Llewellyn Lynn, 47, for alleged traffic violations around 2 p.m. on August 18, but Lynn did not stop and instead drove into the driveway of his house.

Upon exiting the vehicle, Lynn was reportedly uncooperative, but police eventually managed to arrest him. A search of Lynn’s vehicle revealed more than five pounds of marijuana and two guns, the police department said. Search warrants for the residence and two storage units were secured from 87th State District Judge Amy Thomas Ward. During the searches, police said more than five ounces of meth, an additional three pounds of marijuana and over 40 guns, some of which were allegedly stolen.

Lynn was then booked into the Anderson County Jail for possession of more than five pounds of marijuana, evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon. His bond was set to $85,000, and he was released from jail on Aug. 20. The police department said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.

NACOGDOCHES – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) visited Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) on Monday to meet with East Texas educational leaders and students. According to our news partner KETK, during that visit he spoke to SFA students and leaders about expanding Pell Grant eligibility and added funding for agriculture research facilities. He also discussed the Big Beautiful Bill and its potential benefits to the higher education system in Texas.

Cornyn also heard an update from SFA leadership regarding their $85 million Arthur Temple College of Forestry & Agriculture Extension Building. The building is part of the only doctoral forestry program in Texas. The media also had the opportunity to speak with Cornyn at the Pineywoods Dining Hall which hosted a roundtable discussion at 4 p.m. on Monday. Cornyn ended on Monday by saying he’ll bring East Texas’ education success stories back to Washington D.C.

HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that one person was killed in a shooting near Chandler on Monday night. Our news partner KETK reports that a shooting call came in at around 9 p.m. on Monday night. The shooting happened off of Shady Trail in the Westwood Beach area of Lake Palestine, to the south of Chandler.

One male was found shot dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office is currently searching for 18-year-old Chuck Brady Norris, in connection to the shooting.

According to the sheriff’s office, Norris could be driving a silver Chevrolet Impala. Anyone with information on the shooting or Norris is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 903-675-5128.

KILGORE– An eighth-grade student at Kilgore Middle School suffered a severe head injury last week after being body-slammed during lunch in the school cafeteria, sparking outrage among parents and community members. According to our news partner KETK, the incident happened Thursday afternoon when Lukas Hardeman was talking with friends at the lunch table. Family members said another student picked him up and slammed him headfirst into a steel chair.

Hardeman was rushed to a local emergency room, then transferred to a Dallas hospital where surgeons cut two holes into his skull to stop bleeding and relieve swelling. Doctors later confirmed he has a six-inch skull fracture, though thankfully no signs of permanent brain damage. He now faces a long recovery that includes monthly trips to Dallas for physical and speech therapy.

The incident has drawn criticism of Kilgore ISD’s handling of bullying reports. At a school board meeting held before Hardeman’s return home, parents and community members demanded accountability and stricter policies. Continue reading Middle school student suffers skull fracture in altercation

MARSHALL — According to our news partner KETK, two men have been arrested following a vehicle shooting early Sunday morning in Marshall that left one person seriously injured.

The Marshall Police Department responded to reports of gunfire around 2:33 a.m. in the 400 block of W. Pinecrest Drive. The victim, who sustained gunshot wounds to both legs, was taken to a hospital and remains in serious condition. As the investigation went on throughout the night and into Monday morning, police executed several search warrants. This led to the arrest of Braylon George, 20, and JerBraylon Brazzell, 19, both residents of Marshall. They are being held on a $100,000 bond.

The suspects have been charged with aggravated assault from a moving vehicle. Authorities are still searching for a third suspect involved in the incident. Continue reading Vehicle shooting in Marshall leaves one injured

LONGVIEW – Trademark Property Company announced on Monday that they are teaming up with Dillard’s Inc. to purchase the Longview Mall. According to our news partner KETK, Trademark will be handling operations and leasing for the Longview property.

“The Dillard’s-Trademark team plans to modernize the property and upgrade mall operations with the goal of bringing a better shopping experience and roster of tenants to Longview Mall,” Senior Vice President of Leasing at Trademark Daniel Goldware said. “We believe this community will support better retailers and more offerings from Dillard’s and deserves a higher-level regional shopping destination.”
Continue reading Dillard’s partners with Trademark Property to buy Longview Mall

SMITH COUNTY – A portion of Smith County Road 178 , Old Palestine Road, was closed starting Tuesday, August 26. The part closed on County Road 178, is between County Road 192, Old Noonday Road and County Road 1169. The closure will be about two weeks, so workers can install water and sewer line crossings.

WHITEHOUSE – Smith County emergency services responded to a vehicle crash Monday morning on State Highway 110 between Whitehouse and Troup. According to our news partner KETK, what’s known is that one person has died, another was sent to a hospital. Highway 110 was reopened to traffic by 12 noon on Monday.

TYLER – The City of Tyler said that crews will start demolishing the unused South Glenwood Ground Storage Tank on Tuesday, bringing an end to the decades-old unused structure.

According to our new partner KETK, the water tank on South Glenwood Boulevard was first constructed more than 50 years ago in the 1940’s and was used to store water from Well 2. The well is being decommissioned this year as Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) phases out wells in favor of surface water sources, according to the City of Tyler.

TWU is working with Hunter Demolition and Wrecking Corporation on a $276,684 contract to remove the unused tank and its related structures, including a nearby wall, a brick building, water lines and the surrounding fence. Work on demolishing the tank and surrounding structures is expected to be complete by October 2025.

TYLER – The Smith County Animal Control and Shelter waived their adoption fees for their annual Clear the Shelters adoption event on Saturday, according to our news partners at KETK. The shelter started with 42 animals on Saturday and three dogs were adopted into loving families within the first two hours of the event. “With Clear The Shelter Adoption Event coming to a close, we had 3 amazing adoptions! We want to thank these families for taking in these three sweet dogs and giving them the love and care that they deserve,” the Smith County Animal Control and Shelter said on Saturday.

The shelter said that anyone interested can come adopt one of their animals for free until Clear the Shelters ends on Aug. 31. The shelter is located at 322 E Ferguson Street in Tyler. They’re open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but they close between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.